The invention relates to a person conveying device in the form of an escalator or a moving walkway. The person conveying device is equipped with a handrail or two handrails.
By “handrail” there is understood a device at a balustrade arranged at (one or) both sides of the escalator or moving walkway. A handrail strip or grip strip is guided along this balustrade and, in particular, at the same speed at which the escalator or moving walkways moves. The grip strip thereby offers support or a handhold for a person located on the conveying device or getting on or off this.
As essential component of a person conveying device—public facilities such as, for example, railway stations or department stores come to mind—a handrail has to fulfill not only a high level of functional capability, but also high safety demands. Known handrails consist of endless rubber belts in which steel strands or steel wires are vulcanised in place.
A handrail usually comprises traction means with the help of which it is drawn through a guide by a drive. The guide runs along a balustrade arranged at (one or) both sides of the escalator or moving walkway. The traction means, but also the handrail itself, has to be flexible or consist of elements so that circulation, in the manner of an escalator, around the balustrade can be described. This circulation is composed of various curves and semicircles or semi-ellipses as well as looping of drive wheels.
CH 557295, which defines the category, discloses a handrail formed from U-shaped segments which are driven by way of a chain. The chain here forms the traction means constructed as traction carrier. The individual segments of the handrail are merely placed on the chain, wherein in each instance a chain element comes to lie in a corresponding recess of a segment. Guidance is achieved in that a U-shaped carrier profile member, at which a rail or guide rail is arranged, is connected with the balustrade. The transport chain or the chain travels or rolls on this rail or guide rail. This rail consists of a resilient plastics material. Guidance of the segments is thus effected here directly by way of the chain. Pulling of the segments of the handrail off the chain is prevented in that the inner sides of the U-shaped carrier profile member have webs at which lateral guides are fastened. Provided below the lateral guides are angled ends of the U-shaped segments which enter into a restraining safety position at or into contact with the lateral guides if anybody endeavours to pull off the segments in upward direction.
It is disadvantageous with this handrail arrangement that this special construction of the chain guide as well as the lateral guide has the consequence of a diminished guidance capability. In normal operation, when the U-shaped segments are loaded in downward direction, guidance takes place by way of the chain and the guide rail, but in the converse case, when the segments are loaded in upward direction, by way of the too-small lateral guides and the angled ends of the U-shaped segments themselves. Due to inevitable production tolerances the U-shaped segments can lift off to a substantial degree or move upwardly by clearly perceptible amount, which generates a sense of insecurity in many passengers.